Suspended: Sergio Parisse
Italy captain Sergio Parisse will miss the rest of the Six Nations after being suspended for 30 days for insulting a referee.
Parisse has been handed a 40-day suspension of which ten are suspended, making him elegible to play again on March 18th.
The suspension means Parisse will miss Italy's three remaining Six Nations clashes against Wales, England and Ireland in a huge blow to the Azzurri's chances in the tournament.
Parisse was shown a straight red card for insulting referee Laurent Cardona in the Top 14 fixture between his club Stade Français and Bordeaux-Begles. Punishments for insulting a referee can range from 40 days up to one year.
Comments
georgesmith says...
What did he actually do to insult the referee? What did S. Parisse say or do?
Posted 04:04 21st February 2013
mlbp says...
If Parisse did insult the referee then the ban is justified but maybe too harsh.
Causing a serious injury on purpose or attempting to do so should be penalized harder than insulting a referee. That's why eye gouging should imply a one-year-long ban at least, and a life ban for being a repeated offender. Schalk Burger's eye gouging of Luke Fitzgerald (SA-British Lions 2005) was one of the most attrocious acts of foul play I can remember on the field, together with Peter Winterbottom's kicking of Marc Cecillon's head (England-France RWC 1991 quarterfinal) and Alain Carminati's stamping of John Jeffrey's head (France-Scotland 1990 or 1991). These cases deserved heavy bans of at least a year. Punching in the middle of a fracas or a spear tackle in open play are not as serious as punching in open play, swinging arms when cleaning rucks or eye gouging, which for me is the single most outrageous act of foul play.
Dylan Hartley's elbow on Richie McCaw's head or Dan Greyling's punch on McCaw didn't receive the bans they deserved. They should have been harsher. A clothesline tackle like that by Andy Powell on McCaw didn't even get a ban.
When a player strikes another player on purpose and trying to hurt or cause an injury then the disciplinary committees should apply the law to the limit.
Insulting a referee should be punished severely too but always based on evidence. I still have to see the evidence against Sergio Parisse, but we have to trust the members of the panel.
Posted 00:29 21st February 2013
PREEST says...
Well I think we cab be quite sure that Italy will loose the rest of their games. I didn't think it was likely, but without their captain who leads by example I don't expect much...Let's see how they go without Parisse~
Posted 00:11 21st February 2013
mlbp says...
I have watched the video footage and I cannot understand what he says. Apparently he is running behind the ref and shouts something. The ref stops play and sends him off. That's strange... Is there a transcription of what he said? I believe the disciplinary panel heard something insulting, otherwise the ban wouldn't have been this hefty.
I'm travelling to Rome on Saturday to see the match. I was counting on seeing him play again after I saw him two years ago at Twickers (that day Italy got crushed). Zanni is an excellent 6. Barbieri has been playing superbly and Favaro was outstanding against Scotland. None of them is an experienced 8, though, but Italy seem to have an embarrassment of riches in the backrow department.
Anyway, as a neutral I would love an Italian win.
Posted 23:58 20th February 2013
Spartacus says...
He can spend the time getting some hair plugs. Maybe a transplant from Castrogiovanni?
Posted 22:37 20th February 2013
Iyhel says...
I have no clue about what really happened so despite huge sympathy for Parisse I wouldn't contest the ban as I understand the importance of respecting refs - even when they are wrong. I always found that refs were far too lenient with players that talk too much during matches, lest those who may insult them.
That said I find strange that it costs more for a player to insult a referee than to try to break one's opponent's ankle..
Posted 22:25 20th February 2013
rockman says...
@ kennyisgay & PeterboroughBlu
Apologies i did not know that and retract my previous comment!
Posted 22:19 20th February 2013
PontySurrey says...
Footballers swear and insult referees constantly. They treat referess like scum. Rugby cannot go down that route. We should be better than that. So good decision.
Posted 21:37 20th February 2013
JamieTheProp says...
This is absolutely right - rugby is not football and you shouldn't be able to speak to the referee at all if you are not captain or pack leader and even then only if you call him 'sir'.
Insulting the ref is fundametally against the code of the game and deserves a lengthy ban - no matter what the level of the player!
And I would say that this does deserve a lengthier ban than a punch or a stamp - it is fundamentally about sending a message that the ref has to be respected.
Posted 21:27 20th February 2013
ArmchairGeneral says...
@ News4ya: think you are right. Also it always bugs me when a club offence gets an international ban and an international offence can get a club level ban. It punishes the Italian fans for something he did representing a French club. Keep the punishment at the level of the crime. Ban Parisse from x club games.
@ Kent: agree too. Wales just brings it out in me. That troll.
Posted 21:25 20th February 2013
jaycee_111 says...
Well I am a referee and sit on disciplinary panels and I can tell you that referee abuse is rising and this punishment is a good thing otherwise you will get no refs. The vast majority of refereeing is unpaid allow the abuse at the top and the lower players will think it's ok and then you get no refs as I won't referee a game if I get abuse from anybody nor will anybody I know why should we?
Posted 21:14 20th February 2013
Kent says...
@armchairgeneral - Great contribution.
Posted 20:45 20th February 2013
new_j4a says...
Unless he physically threatened the ref or subjected him to intimidation, I think the perfect punishment is a red card. A further sanction that compares with offenses like biting, gouging, headbutting, punching etc etc seems a bit over the top to me.....just my 2c worth.
Posted 20:38 20th February 2013
backnforward says...
rugby_rockstar,
With your clairvoyance you must have guessed what I am going to say...
Other than agreeing with the "Don't mess with the ref ..." part of your post, the other (regarding his wife) is the sort of comment expected from a football fan or Sun reader!
Posted 20:14 20th February 2013
giomamo says...
I don't know if he really insulted or there was a misunderstanding by the ref. I always thought international players had not to play for clubs during 6N weeks. This case could be an argument more.
Posted 19:39 20th February 2013
melkdave says...
OUCH but i really think the IRB had no option ,but to lay down the law,and make an example for this offence.As i said in another post,YOU JUST CANT ARGUE AND SWEAR AT / INSULT A REFEREE.Despite what you may think of his performance or how frustrated you are.As for it afecting Italy,i dont think it will affect them as much,as people think.Barbari is an able replacement imo,and was definatly the STAR of Italy in the early part ofthe season,
Posted 19:37 20th February 2013
Lucasrg says...
Indeed harsh but, let's not be so negative.
The backrow situation in the Italian squad is pretty good. Barbieri is at his prime, running like a ram, very low and hard to stop. Zanni is absolutely top class, he can run, hand-off, and very high work rate. Favaro is an animal, he always make some cracking tackles and you see him pretty active and everywhere on the pitch. Derbyshire is another pure talent, he can run extremely well, hand offs pretty often and very athletic.
Vosawai will probably be in the squad now on as he is another tough tackler and heavy ball carrier. M.Bergamasco now is in, he can bring in a lot of aggressiveness and good leadership although he is now on the downhill side.
Expect Brunel to go with Favaro-Zanni-Barbieri with Derbyshire and Vosawai on the bench. Plus Zanni can even play lock.
Parisse out of the squad is unfortunately gonna be a rant for the BBC pundits that never have seen enough tapes to understand how good Barbieri and the rest of the flankers are. So annoying.
Posted 19:32 20th February 2013
kennyisgay says...
@ Rockman, He's been done for eye gouging before so unblemished record... NO
Posted 19:07 20th February 2013
kennyisgay says...
@ Rockman, He's been done for eye gouging before so unblemished record... NO
Posted 19:07 20th February 2013
PeterboroughBlu says...
@rockman not so unblemished record had previous suspension for gouging
Posted 18:35 20th February 2013